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Helsinki Looks

Yeah, I haven't been around for awhile. I've been, well, busy. Here's a little eye candy that I find interesting: Hel Looks. Lots of good photos and interesting quotes from folks who live in Helsinki. Found via Metafilter.

I'll try to get some more stuff online soon, but I can't promise anything.

HC Strache - Vienna's Blue Eye

In German, one doesn't walk away from a fistfight with a black eye, rather with a blue one -- a blaue Auge. At least one Vienna newspaper calls Heinz Christian (HC) Strache "Vienna's Blue Eye", a clever triple wordplay on Strache's steel blue eyes, his political party's chosen color, and his unexpected (to his rivals, embarrassing and bruising) success in the October 23 Vienna city government elections.

His supporters fondly call him HC (pronounced ha-tseh and sometimes written "Haze"). Many call him the new Jörg Haider. One journalist asked him directly in a recent interview whether he is a Nazi. Whatever one chooses to call him, there's no denying that HC Strache is the political man of the moment in Vienna, and perhaps in all of Austria.

Although Strache's FPÖ (Freiheitliche Partei Österreich / Freedom Party Austria) came in third in the October 23 election with just under 15% of the vote, the party's performance tripled pre-election predictions.

I was at the FPÖ's post-election celebration at Adam's Gasthaus and Restaurant on the 23rd (strictly as a photographer) and managed to get a few good pictures of him at the event. Pictures and commentary follow:

Heinz Christian Strache is a 36-year-old trained dental technician and born politician.

The FPÖ is a right wing, nationalist party, and according to some Austrian newspapers (and a few Austrians with whom I've spoken), its membership includes avowed Nazis, retro and neo. (Note: I'm not accusing anyone in any of these pictures of being a Nazi. On the other hand, a recent print version of Falter claims that some of the people in attendance at this post election party are known to Austrian police as having Nazi backgrounds).

Strache ran a divisive campaign in Vienna, with placards and radio advertisements that have been characterized by many as "Ausländer feindlich" (anti foreigner).

Strache has an electrifying presence, a boyish smile and an excellent speaking ability.

Wien Wählt (Vienna Votes)

On October 23, 2005, the citizens of Vienna voted for a new city council. I was out most of the day and into the evening taking election-related photos, and I plan to get several series online today. During the day, I visited a few polling places and took some pictures of various campaign posters around town. In the evening, I visited the post election celebrations of two political parties (SPÖ and FPÖ) and got some great pictures.

Take a look at my article and pictures from the HC Strache (FPÖ) post election celebration. I'll get something about Michael Häupl (SPÖ) online this week.

Now, the election results:

Party	% Votes	% Change	Voters
SPÖ (Socialist Party)	49	+2.1	329,000
ÖVP (Peoples' Party)	18.8	+2.4	126,000
FPÖ (Freedom Party)	14.9	-5.3	100,000
Grüne (Greens)	14.7	+2.2	98,000
KPÖ (Communist Party)	1.5	+0.9	8,000
BZÖ (Future Federation)	1.2	n/a	10,000

Approximately 472,000 eligible voters did not vote in this election.

Now, some pictures: (I'll add a little election analysis after the pictures)

Despite nice weather, there wasn't much visible activity at the Josefstadt (8th District) Amtshaus (district government services building).

Wählen wir Häupl (Let's choose / vote for Häupl). Michael Häupl has been Wiener Burgermeister (Mayor of Vienna) since the last city elections, held in 2001. The most recent election handed him his second term as city mayor.

In addition to voting centers at each of the district Amthäuser, polling places were set up in several of the major rail stations. There was a little activity at this polling place, located in Wien Westbanhof (Vienna West Rail Station).

A few voters checking out the official party candidate lists.

Brno, Czech Republic - Hrad Spilberk / Spielberg Castle

More pictures from Brno, Czech republic taken in May. These fotos are of the Hrad Spilberk (Spielberg Castle), located atop the hill of the same name.

Hrad Spilberk / Spielberg Castle - This is the main, inner castle building. You can see part of the moat in front of the building. Behind me are walls that drop around 50 feet, straight down.

Hrad Spilberk / Spielberg Castle - A close-up of the moat.

Hrad Spilberk / Spielberg Castle - an outer castle building.

Hrad Spilberk / Spielberg Castle - Lots of canons around the walls. Spielberg looks like a pretty well-defended fortress.

Brno - Petrov, Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral

Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, with around 370,000 residents. The city is dominated by two hills, the Spilberg and the Petrov. On top of the Petrov sits the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The cathedral was built in the 13th century, and may incorporate some parts of the Roman-era castle that once stood on the hill.

The cathedral was originally built in Gothic style, but was updated to a Baroque style in the 1700's.

Several of these memorials to catholic bishops surround the cathedral. It has been the seat of the Brno bishopric since 1777.

Petrov - Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral

These stairs lead down to the city center.

The cathedral's current Neo-Gothic style was fashioned at the turn of the 20th century.

Brno, Czech Republic - Capuchin Monastery

I spent a long weekend in Brno, Czech Republic (Brunn to German-speakers) in May. It just so happened that the Czech Republic's national ice hockey team won the world championship that weekend (Playing in Vienna). It was a good time to be in town. Brno is a nice little place where most everything is cheap. The food is good, lodging is easy to find, people are warm and friendly, and there are some nice sites to see.

I'll get some more photos from Brno online this week, but I'll give you these three to start out. These are photos of the Capuchin Monastery and Crypt, in the town center, close to the main rail station.

The church looks pretty plain from the outside.

The crypt underneath is a little more interesting. I believe these are the skeletons of monks who served at the monastery.

This is a masked mummy. Look at the right shoulder and you can see some of the skeleton's bones underneath the elaborate costume.

Schloß Belvedere (Belvedere Palace) Photos

I rambled over to the Belvedere Palace in May because I'd heard that they were keeping cows on the grounds as part of a Gedankenjahr (Year of Remembrances) exhibition. Vienna (and the rest of Austria) was occuppied for 10 years by the English, French, Russians and US Americans after World War II. Fearing a Russian blockade of Vienna (such as the Berlin blockade of 1948), the other allies turned many of Vienna's parks and public places into agricultural centers. Cows were kept on palace grounds and vegetable gardens were planted in parks. Unfortunately, I didn't find any cows that day, but I still got a few nice pictures of the palace.

The baroque Belvedere Palace was designed by the architect Lukas von Hildebrandt for Eugen, Prinz von Savoyen (Prince Eugene of Savoy).
 

The palace consists of two main buildings, called the Upper and Lower Palaces. Most of the pictures in this post are of the larger Upper Palace, which was mostly used for entertainment and reception.

This is a photo of the Lower Palace, Prince Eugene's residence.

Upper Palace - On the left, workers are setting up a stage in preparation for a free concert.

Burggarten Park & Palmenhaus Photos

The Burggarten Park was founded in 1820 by Emperor Franz I.

Located just behind the Hofburg Imperial Palace, the park was originally intended for the use of the imperial family and its guests.

The Burggarten (Castle Garden) was opened to general public access in 1919.

Included on the grounds is the Palmenhaus (Palm House / Greenhouse).

In which the Schmetterlinghaus (Butterfly House) is located.

The building is an impressive example of Jugendstil (Young Art / Art Nouveau) architecture in glass, metal and stone.

The higher, central portion of the Palmenhaus is home to a pretty chic cafe with excellent outdoor seating that is in demand when the weather is nice. It's a little pricy, but I recommend it, even if you simply order a coffee, beer, or refreshing Sodazitron (unsweetened, carbonated lemonade).

Miscellaneous Vienna Photos

A few more shots from around Vienna. These were taken in May.

It's not an uncommon site to see ATV's cruising around the streets of Vienna.

This is the front portico on the Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State or Crown Opera House).

Bird Feeder in Resselpark

Statuette in Leopoldstadt

Modern apartment building in Leopoldstadt

Lugeck with Gutenberg statue

Heldenplatz - Eugene of Savoy Statue

You may recall my post on the fake-brick shells erected around the two statues on Heldenplatz earlier this year.

The shells were removed in May.

These pictures are of the Franz-Eugen, Prinz von Savoyen-Carignan statue, just in front of the Hofburg Imperial Palace.

Eugene of Savoy, as he is known in English, was born in France, but served as a general in Austria's army during the late 17th century.

Prince Eugene built and inhabited the Belvedere Palace, also in Vienna.